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Restoration Corner
When your EAA Antique/Classic Divi-
sion was formed in 1970, the founding
fathers and charter members estab-
lished objectives to guide our future ac-
tivities.
Our number one objective is to en-
courage and aid the restoration and fly-
ing of antique and classic aircraft.
Maybe we are, as they say, "the chosen
ones" - not only the keepers but also
the responsible ones to preserve the
treasures of this golden era of aviation.
We are indebted to the men who
created these timeless machines:
Eddie Stinson, Walter Beech, C. G.
Taylor, W. T. Piper, Claude Ryan,
Benny Howard, Matty Laird, Don Lus-
combe, Clyde Cessna to name a few.
Now we have the opportunity, the re-
sponsibility and the ability to assume
custodianship of this exciting segment
of aviation. Beginning with the Feb-
ruary, 1986 issue, a monthly series of
"Restoration Corner" articles covering
all aspects of an aircraft restoration pro-
ject have been printed in THE VIN-
TAGE AIRPLANE. I believe this is the
first time any organization has attemp-
ted to present a step-by-step series of
"how to" articles covering a complete
aircraft restoration. This series has
been authored by your EAA Antiquel
Classic Division officers and directors
and our good friend Dip Davis.
by Bob Lickteig
On behalf of our membership and
yours truly, I would like to thank and
congratulate these contributing editors
for their individual articles.
Aircraft Selection & Locating a Restora-
ble/Rebuildable Airplane - George York
- February, 1986
Selecting & Buying and Purchase Price
- Buck Hilbert - March, 1986
Retrieving your Treasure - Ron Fritz -
March,1986
Family Involvement - Art Morgan - April,
1986
Researching Your Vintage Airplane -
Wes Schmid - April, 1986
Disassembly of an Aircraft - Stan
Gomoll - May, 1986
Inspection and Storage - Buck Hilbert -
May, 1986
Where to Start - Butch Joyce - June,
1986
Fuselage and Landing Gear - Buck Hil-
bert - June, 1986
Engines - Kelly Viets & Ron Fritz - July,
1986
Round Engine - Dale Gustafson - July,
1986
Tail Group and Wings - Stan Gomoll -
August, 1986
Fabrics and Finishes and Installation
Thereof - Dip Davis - September, 1986
October, 1986
Assembly and Rigging - Gene Morris -
November, 1986
Certification Requirements, Inspection
and Run-Up - Dan Neuman - De-
cember, 1986
Taxi Tests, First Flight and De-Bugging
- Steve Wittman & Norm Petersen -
January, 1987.
I know by now that all of us can ap-
preciate the dedication and the talents
exhibited by these men. I was sched-
uled to write an article for the series,
however after seeing the expertise of
the other authors, I decided my con-
tribution would not be up to those high
standards . . . and why not quit when
we are ahead.
I had selected the topic, "Enjoy Your
Pretty Bird." This doesn't need any
mechanical genius to write, and the
subject is what EAA Antique/Classic Di-
vision membership is all about. Enjoy-
ing your new restoration comes natur-
ally and requires no special instructions.
During the lengthy project, all of us have
dreamed of what we would do with our
love affair when it was completed.
A special thanks to our editor of THE
VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Mr. Gene
Chase, for his help in editing and
scheduling this series. To you, our
members, thank you for your support,
encouraging thoughts and for your fine
comments on the value of this "Restora-
tion Corner" series.
Welcome aboard, join us and you
have it all.
2 JANUARY 1987
PUBLICATION STAFF
PUBLISHER
Tom Poberezny
DIRECTOR
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
DickMatt
EDITOR
GeneR. Chase
CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
MikeDrucks
MANAGING EDITOR/ADVERTISING
MaryJones
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Norman Petersen
DickCavin
FEATURE WRITERS
GeorgeA. Hardie, Jr.
Dennis Parks
EAAANTIQUE/CLASSIC
DIVISION, INC.
OFFICERS
President VicePresident
R. J. Lickteig M.C."Kelly"Viets
3100 Pruitt Rd. Rt.2,Box128
Port St. Lucie, FL 33452 Lyndon,KS66451
305/335-7051 913/8283518
Secretary Treasurer
RonaldFritz E.E."Buck"Hilbert
15401 SpartaAvenue P.O. Box145
KentCity,MI49330 Union,IL60180
616/678-5012 815/923-4591
DIRECTORS
JohnS.Copeland StanGomoll
9JoanneDrive 104290th Lane,NE
Westborough,MA01581 Minneapolis,MN55434
6171366-7245 6121784-1172
DaleA.Gustafson EspleM.Joyce,Jr.
7724ShadyHillDrive Box468
Indianapolis,IN46278 Madison,NC27025
317/293-4430 919/427-0216
ArthurR.Morgan GeneMorris
3744North51stBlvd. 115CSteveCourt,R.R. 2
Milwaukee,WI53216 Roanoke,TX76262
414/442-3631 817/491-9110
DanielNeuman RayOlcott
1521 BerneCircleW. 1500KingsWay
Minneapolis,MN55421 Nokomis,FL33555
612/571-0893 813/485-8139
JohnR.Turgyan S.J.Wittman
Box229,R.F.D.2 Box2672
Wrightstown,NJ08562 Oshkosh,WI54903
6091758-2910 414/235-1265
GeorgeS. York
181 Sloboda Ave.
Mansfield,OH 44906
419/529-4378
ADVISORS
TimothyV. Bowers Robert C. "Bob"Brauer
729-2ndSt. 9345 S.Hoyne
Woodland,CA95695 Chicago,IL 60620
916/666-1875 3121779-2105
PhilipCoulson RobertD. "Bob"Lumley
28415SpringbrookDr. Nl04W20387
Lawlon,M149065 Willow Creek Road
616/624-6490 Colgate,WI 53017
414/255-6832
S.H."Wes"Schmid W.S."Jerry"Wallin
2359LefeberAvenue 29804-179PI.SE
Wauwatosa,WI53213 Kent,WA98031
414m1-1545 206/631-9644
JANUARY1987.Vol. 15, No.1
Copyright" 1987bytheEAAAntique/ClassicDivision,Inc.Allrightsreserved.
Contents
2 StraightandLevel
byBobLickteig
4 A/CNews
byGeneChase
5 VintageSeaplanes
by Norm Petersen
6 A Pilotand Planefrom England ...
Auster Mark6A
byJohnMorrisandNormPetersen
11 CalendarofEvents
12 TypeClubActivities
byGeneChase
13 VintageLiterature
byDennisParks
14 Volunteers...ABookofHeroes
byArtMorganandBobBrauer
15 RogerandBelindaDunham'sWacoYK5-7
byGeneChase
16 WedellWilliamsPhotoAlbum
by Truman "Pappy"Weaver
20 A PairofBritishVeteran Aircraft
by Michael Peare Page 16
21 BookReviews
byGeneChase
22 RestorationCorner...SteveWittmanon
TaxiTests,FirstFlightandDe-bugging
byNormPetersen
24 NewProducts
byGeneChase
25 1940ExperimentinAirFreight
by Bob Geier
26 VolunteersAtWork
by Gene Chase
27 MysteryPlane
byGeorgeA. Hardie,Jr.
27 Sun'nFunReservationForm
28 WelcomeNewMembers
FRONTCOVER ...1916Sopwith Pup N5195/G-ABOXon abeautiful
grassfield inEngland.See storyon page 20.
(Photo by Mark Edwards)
BACKCOVER...JohnMorrisflieshisaward-winningsilverandblack
Auster Mark 6A over the farmlands of Illinois. For the story on this
ex-warbird,see page 6. (Photo by Ed Burns)
Page 6
Page 20
ThewordsEAA,ULTRALIGHT,FLYWITHTHEFIRSTTEAM,SPORTAVIATION,andthelogosofEXPERIMENTAL
AIRCRAFTASSOCIATION INC., EAA INTERNATIONALCONVENTION,EAAANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION INC.,
INTERNATIONALAEROBATIC CLUB INC., WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC., are registered trademarks.THE EAA
SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are
trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly
prohibited.
Editorial Policy:Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Pol icy opinions expressed in articles
are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. Material
should be sentto:Gene R. Chase, Editor,The VINTAGE AIRPLANE,Wittman Airfield,Oshkosh,WI 54903-3086.
Phone:414/426-4800.
The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by EAA Antique/Classic Division,
Inc.ofthe Experimental Ai rcraft Association,Inc.and ispublished monthlyat Wittman Airfield,Oshkosh,WI 54903-
3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, WI 54901 and additional mailing offices. Membership rates for
EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. are $-18.00 for current EAA members for 12 month period of which $12.00 is
for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation.
ADVERTISING- Antique/Classic Division doesnotguaranteeorendorseanyproductoffered throughour -advertis-
ing.Weinviteconstructivecriticismand welcomeanyreportofinferiormerchandiseobtainedthroughouradvertising
so that corrective measurescan betaken.
Postmaster:SendaddresschangestoEAAAntique/ClassicDivision,Inc.,WittmanAirfield,Oshkosh,WI54903-3086.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
Compiled by Gene Chase
RARE AERONCA LC ON DISPLAY
AT EAA AVIATION MUSEUM
One of only two Aeronca LCs known
to be flying in the U.S. today has been
placed on display in the Antique and
Classic Gallery of the EM Aviation
Museum. This beautiful aircraft was re-
stored by Dave and Phyllis Powell (EM
194005) of West Des Moines, Iowa over
an eight-year period from 1975 to 1983.
Dave and Phyllis along with their
youngest daughter lost their lives in an
aircraft accident in July 1986 and
Dave's sister, Julene Powell, executrix
of the estate, made the Aeronca avail-
able to EM.
The plane had been idle for four
months and EM members Harold and
Mike Lossner and Tom Burmeister of
Des Moines prepared it for its flight to
Oshkosh on November 5, 1986. It was
flown here by member Jim Thompson,
who owns the other flyable Aeronca LC.
The 1937 LC is registered NC17484,
SIN 2060 and was one of the last of the
low wing series manufactured. It is pow-
ered with a 90 hp Warner. An article
about this aircraft appeared in the Au-
gust, 1983 issue of THE VINTAGE
AIRPLANE.
NASM TOUR, APRIL 25-26
The 7th annual tour of the National
Air and Space Museum's Paul E.
Garber Restoration Facility will be
hosted by EM Chapter 4 of the Wash-
ington, DC area. This program has
been a great success in past years and
is a chapter project for raising funds for
the EM Aviation Center.
The featured after-dinner speaker
this year will be Mary S. Feik (EM
102696, AlC 2760). Mary is on the re-
storation staff at the Paul Garber facility,
and an acknowledged authority on the
restoration of vintage aircraft. Dinner is
limited to 200.
The dates of this popular activity are
April 25 and 26, 1987. For information,
contact Margaret Scesa, 9611-51 st
Place, College Park, Maryland 20740.
Phone 301/345-3164.
SKYWAYS
This was the subject of Dennis Parks'
"Vintage Literature" column in last
month's issue of THE VINTAGE
AIRPLANE. SKYWAYS was the title of
a magazine published from 1942 until
the final issue in 1963.
A publication titled SKYWAYS will
once again be available to aviation
buffs, this time in the form of a quarterly
journal starting with the January, 1987
issue. The complete title of this new
publication is SKYWA YS, the Journal
of the Airplane 1920-1940.
In addition to featuring aircraft and
events of that period, a Models section
will show work in various areas of scale
modelling of the '20s to '40s, including
structural and three-view drawings.
SKYWA YS will be edited by Kenn
Rust of Glendale, California and pub-
lished by Leonard E. Opdycke (EM
1076, AlC 6933), 15 Crescent Road,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 . Leo's name
will be familiar to many readers of THE
VINTAGE AIRPLANE as the publisher
of WW I Aero, the Journal of the Early
Aeroplane. This outstanding publication
comes out five times per year.
SKYWA YS will start on the basis of
four issues per year, with the same con-
tribution system as with WW I Aero:
members contribute what they think
best, starting with a minimum of $20.00.
Checks can be sent to the publisher's
Carl Schuppel Photos
Jim Thompson and the
Aeronca Le.
New York address (see above).
The current December 1986 issue of
WW I Aero is the 25th Anniversary
Issue. For this we congratulate Leo Op-
dycke and wish him equal success with
his new venture, SKYWA YS.
NOMINATIONS FOR ANTIQUE!
CLASSIC DIVISION OFFICERS AND
DIRECTORS
In accordance with the Division's
Bylaws, the terms of six Directors, the
Vice-President and Treasurer will ex-
pire at the Division's Annual Business
Meeting at Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Fri-
day, August 7, 1987. In addition it is
anticipated that a Resolution to amend
the Bylaws of the Corporation will be
presented at the annual business meet-
ing so as to permit the election of an
Interim Director to fill the present vac-
ancy on the Board of Directors. If the
Bylaws are amended to provide for
such a position, the person receiving
the highest number of votes for Interim
Director will be elected to that position
for a one-year term.
Nominations for any elective office
(including the six elective Directors, the
Vice-President, the Treasurer and the
Interim Director described above) can
only be made on official nomination
forms which may be obtained from EM
4 JANUARY 1987
Headquarters (contact Mrs. Carol FAA GRANTS ADDITIONAL AP- 3) Because of its higher volati lity, au-
Blake) . Each nomination form must PROVALS FOR AUTOGAS USE togas may increase the tendency to-
contain a minimum of ten (10) signa-
ward carburetor icing. Antique
tures of members in good standing, to- The EM Flight Research Center has airplanes could have marginal or no
gether with their membership number been working with the FAA to allow cer- carburetor heat rise. Caution should
and expiration date. The nominating tain airplanes whose type certificates of be used when icing conditions are
petition shall contain a brief resume of "Group 2" documentation did not call present.
the nominee's experience and back- out the use of aviation gasoline (refer- 4) The higher Reid vapor pressure of
ground and shall be accompanied by a ence was made to "gasoline"), to use autogas contributes to the tendency
recent photo. To be eligible for nomina- autogas. The rationale was that toward vapor lock in fuel systems of
tion, a candidate must be a member in airplanes could use any gasoline since inadequate design. Since no testing
good standing. no specific gasoline was mentioned in has been conducted in these antique
Nominating petitions must be submit- the certification paper work. We have aircraft, caution should be used
ted to the Chairman of the Nominating received written confirmation from especially in low wing airplanes.
Committee, cl o of EM Headquarters, the FM that "ATC" and "Group 2" The approved airplanes make up a
no later than the end of the sixth month airplanes approved prior to July 1 0, list of over 100 manufacturers repre-
(February 28) prior to the annual busi- 1929 can use autogas without the senting over 900 different models. In-
ness meeting. Voting instructions and need for a Supplemental Type Certifi- cluded in this list are:
the official ballot will be published in the cate (STC). Aeronca C-3
June, 1987 issue of THE VINTAGE Although these aircraft likely used au- Curtiss Robin
AIRPLANE. togas in the 1920s, modern autogas is Travel Air 4000 (Curtiss Wright)
formulated differently. The EM has not Fairchild KR-21
tested autogas in these airplanes and Fleet, 1, 2, 7, 9
HOW TO ORDER
the following should be considered be- Ford Tri Motor
The following information was inad- fore commencing its use. Great Lakes 2T-1A series
vertently omitted from the book review 1) Both leaded and unleaded autogas Lockheed Vega series
on Iowa Takes to the Air - Volume Two can be used but unleaded is recom- Monocoupes - various
in the November 1986 issue of THE mended because of the absence of Stearman C-3-B
VINTAGE AIRPLANE: Order from potentially corrosive chlorine andl or Stinson SM series
Aerodrome Press, Box 44, Story City, bromine lead scavengers. Timm Collegiate
Iowa 50248 for $24.95 postpaid. Iowa 2) The affects of additives or high Waco ASO, ATO, GXE, RNF
residents add $1.00 state sales tax. concentrations of aromatics have For additional information, call Dick
We regret any inconvenience this not been tested in the fuel system Roemer, Senior Project Engineer, at
omission may have caused. components of these airplanes. EM Headquarters, 414/426-4800 .
--VINTAGE SEAPLANES--
Photo by Norm Petersen
Resplendent in the early morning sunshine is a Stinson 108-3 Station Wagon mounted on Edo 2425 floats. Registered CF-ZHZ, the
Stinson was flown to Oshkosh '86 by Ric Henbel, Box 911, Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada. Note Hartzell constant-speed prop
signifying something more than standard 165 hp Franklin engine!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
A PILOTAND PLANE FROM
ENGLAND ...Auster Mark6A
by John Morrisand Norm Petersen
(Photos courtesy of John Morris, except
as noted)
It's the next best thing to an open
cockpit.
So says John Morris of his rare Aus-
ter QA. ''The visibility is incredible. But
then it ought to be, surrounded by all
that perspex."
All that what? Yes, perspex. You folks
this side of the Atlantic call it plexiglass.
For both John, 34, and his Auster are
British. Both are imports. And both
came into this world in January 1952 -
John in Hull , England, and the Auster
at what until a short while before was
Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Ltd.,
at Leicester, a Midlands city surrounded
by William Blake's "dark satanic mills."
From there the Auster went globetrot-
ting, serving its country in Korea and in
the Suez campaign before finding a
friendly home with renowned test pilot
and British aviation figurehead Air Com-
modore Allen Wheeler. But more of that
later.
For those of you who see Taylorcraft
characteristics in the Auster - yes,
6 JANUARY 1987
they're there. Much of the structure
looks the same; the wingspan's the
same; the airfoil is the same NACA
23012. However, nothing is inter-
changeable with the American-built
cousins.
And for those of you who ask why the
British turned a perfectly good, 1,200
lb. gross weight T-craft design into a
2,300 lb. beastie, there is an answer:
military needs. At 1,490 Ibs. empty, the
Mark 6 Auster will carry a load of 800
Ibs. - as much as an empty BC-12D
T-craft! Or the emptier it is, the more
impressive its short field performance;
in civilian life the mark was limited to
towing only two gliders at once!
First, a brief history of the link be-
tween the American and British Taylor-
craft companies. It all began in 1938.
Members of the British County Flying
Club were so impressed with their new
40 hp Taylorcraft Model A they deter-
mined to build it under license. Thus
Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Ltd.,
was formed in November of that year.
Separately, five American model Bs
were imported into England in 1938.
. ,It,was decided to build the Taylorcraft
Model B instead of the A, with various
refinements to meet different British
standards.
Manufacture began at the end of
1939 with the British Model C, powered
by a 55 hp Lycoming 0-145. Some 24
were built before World War II broke out
in September, 1939.
Taylorcraft replaced the Lycoming
with a 90 hp Blackburn Cirrus Minor en-
gine - a four cylinder inverted in-line,
and this became the Model Plus D.
From mid-1938 the British War Office
began studying the Army's views on Air-
borne Observation Posts, but wasn't
enthusiastic.
Trials in February 1939 showed that
the Westland Lysander and Hawker
Audax biplane were too fast and too
heavy for this job. Taylorcraft volun-
teered its Plus 0 in the face of official
derision.
As part of the trials, the T-craft had
to dogfight a Spitfire - and it proved
that flying low and slow gave it a good
chance of survival.
The British T-craft's biggest battle
Auster A.O.P. 6 (later G-APRO) in its early life as an aerial observation plane in Seoul, Korea. Picture taken at K-16 airfield on
September 10, 1954 by Charles N. Trask (EAA 69291, AlC 3163), York Haven, PA.
Interior of the Auster Mark 6 upon arrival from England. Single controls and quadrant throHle are typical of type including the large
"Turn and Slip" indicator. Note parking brake on lower left side.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
Off loading the Auster following shipment from England in the John peels off some scale as the framework is bared for a
summer of 1984 at The Landings near Huntley, Illinois. Note the
complete rebuild. Overall condition of the airplane was very
large oil tank mounted on the lower firewall.
good considering the trials and tribulations of over 30 years of
service.
Photo by Gene Chase
Side profile of Auster G-APRO (NX370WJ) at Oshkosh '86 re-
Julie Morris dopes the surface tapes on the ailerons as the veals Taylorcraft influence in overall design, especially in the
rebuild begins to go together. Note quality of workmanship NACA 23012 series wing. Silver and black paint scheme is very
which caught the judges eye at Oshkosh.
was with bureaucracy, but it finally won.
In early 1942 the Army received its first
Taylorcraft Auster 1 (really a modified
Plus D) . And so the Auster line was
born. Just!
Austers served in all subsequent
theaters of war.
Continuous development led to the
first flight of the Auster AOP6 in May
1945. Some 312 were built for the RAF
by 1953.
The aeroplane was essentially a
beefier version of the 130 hp Lycoming
0-290 powered AOP5, but with a British
engine: the 145 hp deHaviliand Gipsy
Major four cylinder inverted in-line.
By the end of the war the name Aus-
ter was much better known in England
than that of its maker. So in March 1946
the company became Auster Aircraft
Ltd.
After the war many military Austers
were converted into civilian airplanes,
8 JANUARY 1987
rich looking.
including G-APRO.
This particular aeroplane began in life
as a 145 hp, Gipsy-powered, green and
brown camoflaged AOP6 in January
1952, and was lent by the RAF to the
Army. A year later found it in Iwakuni,
Japan, and in service in Korea based
at K-16.
The British had a penchant for haul-
ing metal around the globe, so WJ370,
as the Auster was then serialled, re-
turned to the UK in 1954 and went to
the Fighter Command communications
flight at Middle Wallop.
Suez cropped up in 1956, and
WJ370, painted in sand and brown de-
sert camoflage, ventured forth with 651
AOP Squadron.
Despite one or two intriguing refer-
ences to WJ370 as ''the veteran of the
Egyptian campaign" nothing can be
found to illuminate this chapter in its his-
tory. However, the 30-year ban im-
posed by the Official Secrets Act on
opening up 651 's logbooks and news-
letters expires this year, so something
might come to light.
The Auster quietly returned to Eng-
land and was put out to grass until
bought at the end of 1958 by Allen
Wheeler.
The Air Commodore began his career
in aviation in 1925, and became very
friendly with Richard Shuttleworth; in-
deed that friendship before World War
II was the driving force behind his post-
war career as a trustee of the
Shuttleworth Collection, Britain's pre-
mier "keep them flying" museum.
During the war, he commanded the
Royal Aircraft Establishment at
Farnborough, and established proce-
dures for investigating aeroplanes with
problems that are still used today. Later
he commanded the experimental and
research station at Boscombe Down,
Photo by Norm Petersen
Head-on view shows what a bug sees just before he enters the cooling air intake! The German-made Hoffman propeller works very
well according to John - albeit a bit spendy!
Photo by Norm Petersen
The Auster restoration is complete, right down to the English " Dunlop Tyres", which are a tad larger than our 6:00 x 6.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
PhotobyGene Chase
Tail surfaces ofthe Auster reveal excellent workmanship and
meticulousribstitching.OurFAAistobecommendedforallow-
ingtheEnglishregistrationtoremain ontheaircraftalongwith
theU.S. registration on therudder.
and was a member of the panel that
investigated the DH Cometairlinerdis-
asters in 1954.
On leaving the service he acted as
technicaladvisortosuchfilmsas Those
Magnificent Men in their Flying
Machines and Blue Max andin 1964he
becamepresidentofthe PopularFlying
Association.
He regularly flew the Shuttleworth
Trust's aeroplanes, and personally
owned a Tiger Moth and a Spitfire as
well as the Auster.
Not surprisingly, the Shuttleworth
Trust engineers were called upon to
civilianise WJ370,and it flew from Old
WardenaerodromeasG-APROin1961
- the first civilian conversion of that
mark of Auster. Allen Wheeler used it
mainly to commute between his home
and the Trust.
Heowned G-APROuntil hisdeath in
1984 at the age of 80, and it became
well known in British aviationcircles as
his personal mount.
EnterJohn Morrisand hiswife, Julie.
TheyvisitedEnglandinDecember1981
and saw G-APRO lurking quietly in a
hangar in the Shuttelworth Trust. They
already owned a Taylorcraft BC-12D
and were dreaming of buying a British
cousin as a stablemate.
Allen Wheelerwaswilling to sell ,but
the price was morethan theycould af-
ford.
Thenabouttwoyearslater,outofthe
blue, came a letter:Allen Wheeler had
died. Mrs. Wheeler wanted to know if
theywere still interested.
"When an aeroplanecomes begging
for ahome, whatcan you do, ?" asked
John Morris.
The dollar was exceptionally strong
at that point, and a transatlantic buy,
sightunseen,seemedfeasible. Friends
overtherehelpedout,andinJuly1984,
G-APRO arrived in a container at The
Landings airport, nearHuntley, Illinois.
A quick inspection showed that time
had taken its toll . The Auster was air-
worthy,butonlymarginally.Someofthe
10JANUARY 1987
PhotobyGene Chase
Unique trailing flaps are constructed ofmetal and quiteeffec-
tive, allowing the useful load of 800 Ibs. to be handled nicely.
Largeperspexroofcan bewarm inthehotsun!
PhotobyNormPetersen
A smiling John Morris holdsthe plaque awarded at Oshkosh '86 fortheOutstanding
LimitedProductionAircraftinthe ClassicDivision.
Emptyweight-
Grossweight-
Usefulload-
WingSpan-
Length- .
Power-
Powerloading(gross)-
AirfoilSection-
Chord-
Cruise-
Stall(fullflap,poweron)-
Fuel-
AUSTER6AG-APRO
(NX370WJ)
1,488Ibs.
2,300Ibs.
8121bs.
36ft.
23ft.7in.
145hp
15.86Ibsperhp
NACA23012
5 ft.3 in.
97knotsat1900rpm
30knots
26gallons
TAYLORCRAFT
BC-12D
6401bs.
1,150Ibs.
5101bs.
36ft.
21 ft. 9in.
65hp
18.46Ibs.perhp
NACA23012
5 ft. 3in.
95mphat2150rpm
38mphfullpower
12gallons(nosetankonly)
24optional(2- 6gallon
wingtanks)
Irish linen on it proved to be over 30
years old, and wasn't quite a match for
the fabric tester!
Nothing to do but recover it. "So we
thought we'd do a complete rebuild, "
said John. "And that's a story in itself,
especially as neither of us had ever
done this before."
Fourteen months and 1,500 man and
woman hours later, and with the help of
many friends with their various skills, G-
APRO flew again in October 1985. John
has flown 60 hours in it , and owns the
aeroplane alone since he and Julie are
now divorced.
Although it would pass muster as a
genuine warbird, John decided not to
camouflage the Auster but to leave it in
civilian colors in deference to Allen
Wheeler. In addition, John grew up as
a line boy at the Battle of Britain airfield
at Biggin Hill in Kent, and his personal
nostalgia harks back to days when
Cessnas were rare and all Austers -
which formed the backbone of British
flying clubs - were silver.
"I always dreamed of owning one,
and now I do. It's funny that the dream
came true on this side of the Atlantic,"
he said.
John is business editor of the Mil-
waukee Journal newspaper, and still
flies the Taylorcraft as well as the Aus-
ter. He is also building an aerobatic ver-
sion of a 1946 Taylorcraft with a 180 hp
Lycoming engine, "but you won't see
that for a few years yet," he smiled.
No other Taylorcraft-type Austers are
currently flying in America. Another
Mark 6 is under rebuild in Oregon; a
purely civilian J-1 Autocrat with a Cirrus
engine is a candidate for restoration
with the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum; and
a Lycoming-engined Mark 5 is stored in
Idaho. In addition two or three non-
Taylorcraft Mark 9s are known to exist
over here, although only one - Charlie
Luzier's in Florida - is flying. That's it
for the US Auster population. A mere
handful of Mark 6s grace the Canadian
register, but few venture south of the
border.
Between 1939 and 1965 a total of
3,607 Austers were built, including post-
war civilian versions.
Australia now has 138 Austers of all
marks left out of 311 imported; Canada
has about a half a dozen Mark 6s and
one Mark 5; and England has about 320
assorted marks. That's a total of 464.
Adding those in Europe, South Africa,
New Zealand, Scandinavia and Pakis-
tan, there are probably no more than
550 Austers of all types left in the world.
Auster Aircraft went out of existence
towards the end of 1960 when it was
merged with Miles Aircraft and Wallis
Autogyros to form a British Executive
and General Aircraft Ltd. (BEAGLE),
makers of the Pup and 206 executive
twin. Beagle itself has since expired as
well , closing another chapter in British
aviation history .
AUSTER COMBAT NOTES
by John Morris
Air Chief Marshall Sir David Lee wrote in
his book Eastward that Austers were the
most versati le of all aircraft deployed in the
Malaysian campaign in 1953 and 1954,
being used to mark targets for strike and
transport forces, making low level reconnais-
sance, constantly used for communications
flights, leaflet dropping and casualty evacua-
tion.
Here's one short description of Austers in
action, taken from a recent newsletter of the
International Auster Pilot's Club. It's written
by a Mr. Barwick, who served as ground
crew in the British Army; "I came back from
Tripoli in time to join 654 squadron for the
invasion of Sicily. Capt. Butterworth was our
pilot. We went up through central and east-
ern Sicily; charged around Mount Etna quite
a lot. My job as well as engine mechanic -
which took up very little time - was de-
spatch rider, anti -aircraft gunner, bren gun,
part-time cook, truck mechanic, slit trench
digger and anything else which came along.
"After Sicily we loaded the Austers into
trucks for the invasion of Italy at Salerno.
Captain Carr - we didn't nickname him
'Crasher' for nothing - won a Distinguished
Flying Cross for doing battle with enemy re-
giments. In the Auster he used to offer him-
self as a target to tempt them into disclosing
their positions and then bring down the wrath
of whatever the artillery had on them. It was
him that landed in a potato field, down the
rows. Once, in a bog, we had to go and turn
the kite back onto her wheels and borrow a
yoke of oxen to pull it out. He flew high rank-
ing officers to look at the ground they were
approaching and seemed to be completely
oblivious to the risks he took. He crashed so
often only because he insisted on flying from
the strips that were most convenient from a
gunnery point of view. One strip, 113 of my
paces was regarded as long enough, was a
clover-like crop which when wet with dew
gave no braking. It terminated in a ditch. The
trick there was to get up before light and land
in first light, which meant a wet surface. After
he'd slid into the ditch we had a broken prop,
bent exhaust stub and bent longeron to fix
before the next morning. We, the ground
crew, decided to be brakes. To this effect we
waited a few yards from the ditch and tried
to grab the struts as the kite hurtled by. It
only partially worked and tended to end up
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH 15-21 - LAKELAND, FLORIDA - 13th
Annual Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In. Contact: Bonnie
Higbie, P. O. Box 6750, Lakeland, FL 33807.
APRil 25-26 - WASHINGTON, DC - 7th Annual
Tour of the National Air and Space Museum's
Paul E. Garber Restoration Facility. Dinner
speaker Mary Feik. Limited to 200. Contact:
Margaret Scesa, 96"-5,st Place, College
Park, MD 20740, phone 3011345-3164.
MAY 2-3 - WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA - EM
Chapter 186 Spring Fly-In at Municipal Airport.
Trophies for winning showplanes. Pancake
breakfast Sunday. Annual Apple Blossom Fes-
tival downtown. All welcome. Contact : George
Lutz, 7031256-7873.
MAY 22-23 - JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA -
First Annual Twin Bonanza Association Con-
vention with headquarters at the Ramada Inn.
Technical seminars and social activities. Con-
tact: Richard I. Ward, 19684 Lakeshore Drive,
with the whole bunch of us in the ditch with
the prop to change and the longeron t o
straighten out. The Austers were definitely
second hand when we'd finished with them.
"Once we had a mainplane wrecked on a
Mark 4 and they sent us a Mark 1 mainplane.
We fitted it. The first Auster with flaps on one
side only! The C. O. came to fly it out - we
told him not to use his flaps, or if he did, to
expect some funny effects.
"The Austers were popular with our front
line troops because after Crasher's efforts
the enemy were loth to use their guns when
one was in the air. I remember the 2nd Parat-
roop regiment holding a section north of
Casino complaining about there being no
peace at meal time - until they gave us the
times required and we put a stooging flight
for them which ensured a peaceful meal
break.
"The Germans had Storches to do the
same job but they were far too big. We could
dig in an Auster in a few minutes and with a
couple of nets it could be hidden very effec-
tively. The Americans had Pipers, but they
didn't seem as effective as our Austers
(perhaps they didn't have enough Crashers).
The British Government's Official History
of World War II states that at the Battle of
Anzio the Germans soon associated the air
observation posts with their difficulties. 'The
great activity of American and British spotter
aircraft, which were unaffected by the
weather because they hopped off and on to
their airstrip and flew very low, gave the Ger-
mans the impression that all their prepara-
tions were observed, and lowered their
morale.' But there were losses; two British
Austers were shot down and their pi lots kil-
led; three more with artillery and anti-tank
guns closely packed in a small area, were
hit by their own shells. At Anzio, not one
single sortie was called off for unserviceabil-
ity or abandoned for engine failure.
"Normally an observer was not carried un-
less enemy fighter aircraft were expected in
the vicinity: then the observer would watch
for those while the pilot carried out his nor-
mal spotting duties.
After the war many military Austers were
converted into civilian airplanes, and many
more were built specifically for the civilian
market. Between 1939 and 1965 a total of
3,607 Austers were built, including the civi -
lian versions .
Three Rivers, M149093, 6161279-2540.
JUNE 25-28 - HAMILTON, OHIO - 28th Annual
National Waco Reunion. Contact: National
Waco Club, 700 Hill Ave., Hamilton, OH 45015.
JUNE 12-14- TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA-Na-
tional Ercoupe Fly-In. Contact: Skip Carden, P.
O. Box 15058, Durham, NC 2n04.
JULY 19-24 - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - 19th
Annual Convention of the International Cessna
170 Association at Montgomery Field. Primary
motel is the new Holiday Inn on the airport.
Contact: Duane and Prieta Shockey, 7141278-
9676.
JULY 24-26 - COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS - Funk
Aircraft Owners AsSOCiation Annual Fly-In.
Contact: Ray Pahls, 454 South Summitown,
Wichita, KS 67209.
JULY 31-AUGUST 7 - OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
- World's Greatest Aviation Event. Experi-
mental Aircraft Association Intemational Fly-In
and Sport Aviation Exhibition. Contact : John
Burton, EM Headquarters, Wittman Airfield,
Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, 4141426-4800.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
~ I~ y p ClubActivities
AERONCA LOVER'S CLUB
Emergency Locator Transmitters
(ELTs) are required equipment on most
of the vintage aircraft flown by EAA An-
tique/Classic Division members. The
following maintenance tips appeared in
an issue of the Aeronca Lover's Club
newsletter and are reprinted here as an
important reminder.
To continue to fly legally, the battery
in your ELT must be replaced according
to the date shown on the sticker. If the
sticker is missing you can remove the
battery from the case and check the
date on the battery itself. It makes it all
the easier if you record the date in the
aircraft log book, too.
For most batteries, the replacement
time is 20 months although it does vary
with different makes and models. CAU-
TION - observe how the battery is in-
stalled. If the replacement battery is in-
stalled backwards and/or the leads con-
nected improperly the ELT will be per-
manently damaged. Be sure to connect
the red wire to the red wire and the
black wire to the black wire.
Also, before discarding the old bat-
tery you should clip the wires off so they
cannot make contact. If they do make
contact the battery can get very hot and
may start a fire in your trash can.
For information on the AERONCA
LOVER'S CLUB contact Buzz Wagner
at Box 3, 401 1 st Street East, Clark, SD
57225. Phone 605/532-3862.
AERONCA CLUB
Operators of early Continental 65s
made before November, 1941 which
still have the original crankshafts with
the 1-3/16" lightening holes in the crank
pins should know that pre-World War
Two AD 296 PROHIBITS grinding the
crank pins. The FAA no longer lists this
AD but it is still in effect. This includes
some ADs on Aeronca airframes, too.
Compiled by Gene Chase
It seems that a number of ADs were
dropped from active listing after the war.
Those who are restoring pre-war Chiefs
or tandem models should contact the
AERONCA CLUB for a copy of these
ADS.
On another subject regarding Conti-
nentals, if you need an "up" exhaust en-
gine for your pre-war Aeronca or Piper
Cub Coupe, it is legal to install the "up"
exhaust cylinders from the -3 engine
onto the -8 engine. We were aware that
they would fit, and we have the corres-
pondence from Continental confirming
the legality per Continental Service Let-
ter 47-16. If you are contemplating such
a conversion, drop us a line for addi-
tional data.
For more information on the
AERONCA CLUB, contact Augie and
Pat Wegner, 1432 28th Court,
Kenosha, WI 53140. Phone 414/552-
9014.
FUNK AIRCRAFT OWNERS
ASSOCIATION
1986 Annual Funk Fly-In
Many owners of Funk aircraft at-
tended including 13 Funks and several
others types. The airport at Coffeyville,
Kansas was immaculate thanks to Bob
Ingmire, the new airport manager (his
title is Airport Industrial Complex Coor-
dinator). He gave his full support to the
Funk Fly-In, obtaining publicity in the
newspapers and on radio. He got most
of the business occupants on the airport
to set up exhibits in the hangar as
added evidence of more local support.
Members attended from as far away as
California and Alaska.
For information on the FUNK AIR-
CRAFT OWNERS ASSOCIATION,
contact G. Dale Beach, 1621 Dreher
Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Phone
916/443-7604.
HEATH PARASOL CLUB
The one and only Heath Model TN is
owned by Paul Schumacher (EAA
246138, AlC 9423), 18430 U.S. 12
East, White Pigeon, MI 49099. Paul is
restoring this rare, two-place Heath and
is looking for a Velie M-5 engine.
Jim Jacobson, (EAA 11188), 2461
Lake Street, Niles, MI 49120 is looking
for Heath Super Parasol parts and a
Heath/Henderson engine for the local
EAA Chapter 865 project of building up
a Heath for donation to the Smithso-
nian's National Air and Space Museum.
Anyone having information and/or
available parts, etc. is asked to contact
these gentlemen direct.
For information on the HEATH
PARASOL CLUB, contact Bill Schlap-
man, 6431 Paulson Road, Win-
neconne, WI 54986. Phone 414/582-
4454.
TWIN BONANZA ASSOCIATION
'87 Convention Headquarters
Changed
As announced in the November 1986
issue of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE, the
First Annual Twin Bonanza Association
Convention will be held at Jekyll Island,
Georgia, May 22-23, 1987, but the
headquarters site has been changed
from the Hilton Inn to the Ramada Inn.
Beech's prototype B-50 Twin
Bonanza was first flown on 11 /15/49
and certificated on 5/25/51. Most are
now in the hands of dedicated owners
whose interest is high in the upcoming
convention. A good turnout is expected.
For information on the TWIN
BONANZA ASSOCIATION, contact
Dick Ward, 19684 Lakeshore Drive,
Three Rivers, Michigan 49093. Phone
612/279-2540 .
12 JANUARY 1987
HeathAirplaneCompany,Inc.
Chicago, Illinois
turrnlhilltl fur _\ir ([raft
I !II IIiii ii',n!:;iiii.tg,nii
- "' . ' . __ ..,
, I
II
. _ - '
"LEADERSOF THEM ALL"
St:RVIO: QL'AI.IT\'
Heath 2 B Tractor Biplane
2B Motor ror this Machine, $550.00
Price, complete, assembled. with motor...... . .$1,975.00
. ' . . . $
24 U holts 1.92
36 1)32''' 1] holts
12 Ytll" U .... 1.10
8 Yiu
N
angle holls ....... . .XlI
3 I.h!i. No. 12 aviator wire .. J.9S
I'lal('(1 slock for rIIllllin!!: J,::{'ar. . 1.2';
1 Ile;tth lIIonopl;ant' TIIllnil11!: gear. i(I.lM)
I Box assorted holts ... .HO
I Box assorted ... crcw." . .\:i
I Aviator scat ......... S.50
75 Ft. cahie stranll..
7S Ft. .I:.t cahle strand. . 4.S0
IOU Ft. %t ("ol1lr :11cahle . .. ... 11l..'iO
1 Set Heath .lipl:l.I1c 'itlinl-!"..... . 12.00
.16 No.2standard t\lrnh\lckllS.... 2.X:-<
R Ileath cahle clamps... . I}()
2 No. 25 . ..... .... .hO
6 No.5 standard ttl1"TllH1cklcs .(}f)
4 No. 4 standard tU1"Ilhudes. 4:-<
SO Ytls. Heath Aero Fa"ric.. .v).51!
5 Gal. Ifeath A("ro Proof.. 211..;0
6 J:olls rih hinding tape.. 3.311
3 Lhs. Swedish ............ I.SO
1 5gal. tank..... ...... ().i5
I Steeringcolumn ... 12(111
I I{udder har cOl1trol ..... . . ... 2..'i0
6 Bahy snap Iwoks .. .. ............ .hll
In I-way terminals.. ..... ...... ..10
4 Ileavy terminals....... ..12
I Complete bluc print.... 2.25
$220.00
WOODWORK
24 Block and hnttoll type rills.......... .16.00
10 !!eavy block and hatton type rihs.. . 17.Sn
4 Entcring ('dge heams ............. 2,4(1
4 Trailing edge hattons 1.20
R Wing bars ......,,"" 6.40
R C01"lle r Cll1"\'(,S . .lOO
4 Wing end curvcs .. .... . .. . . .. .1JMI
4 Aileron ('lIcl rihs. .'......,_... 1.2lt
2 Aileron heams .............. l.20
4 Ash fusilage beams, 15 ft. long
SO Ft. strutting ........................ 4 XU
2 Engine heams ........... Z.IIO
UI
! .............. 150
3 Elevatorand rudder levers. 4.00
2Wing skids ....... .l(MI
Stabi lizer materia l......... .1.00
Woodwork for turtle back. .1 .tlO
6 Support blocks ... .100
1Cockpit curve ........... 1.511
Rudder material................. ... 2,,;0
Elevator material, including curv('s.. 5.1111
Total woodwork . . .... $1 1l.XIl
Total hardware ........ . 2211.!1(i
byDennis Parks
EAA Library/ArchivesDirector
HEATH CATALOG "K"-
1919
Charles B. Hayward in his Building
and Flying an Aeroplane of 1912stated
thatexpensescouldbecutdownbythe
builder making all the necessary parts
at home, or they could use a supply
house, for "there is practically nothing
aboutthemodernaeroplanewhichcan-
not be found in stock at one of the
aeronauticsupply houses."
EdHeath,laterfamousforhisparasol
aircraft, founded one of the first large
supply houses. It was established in
Chicagoin 1909asthe E.B. HeathAe-
rial Vehicle Co. The Heath Company
sustained itself by manufacturing parts
for the homebuilders.
His company made and sold propel-
lers, wire,cables, turnbuckles, fittings,
dope,etc. If the required item was not
on hand it would be made in-house to
specification.
In 1912 Heath bought the Bates
Aeroplane Company, also in Chicago.
His company began to produce
airplanesandintroducedtheideaofsei-
lingdo-it-yourselfplanesinkitform.The
name of the company was then
changed to the Heath Airplane Com-
pany, Inc. After World War I the com-
pany also sold surplus military aircraft.
The EAA Library has a copy of one
of the older aircraft/parts catalogs.It is
listed asCatalog "K". The companydid
notdateitscatalogs, butthebackpage
stated that the company had been in
business for ten years, so 1919seems
to be the publishing date.
Thecatalogwhichcontains23pages,
listscomplete aircraft, aircraftkits,plus
aircraft parts and supplies. The intro-
ductiontothecatalogstatedthatthough
the most immediate demand was for
militaryaircraft, "Aeronauticsis fastbe-
coming related to every line of human
endeavor and it is about to extend ...
as a popular sport and for utilitarian
purposes."
The first section of the catalog was
devoted to "Complete Machines. We
are buildersofall the standard typesof
aeroplanes, andproducemachinesthat
cannotbe improvedon in workmanship
or material. "
Twelve complete aircraft were listed
including Monoplanes, Biplanes and
Flying Boats. Among the Monoplanes
were Bleriot, and Nieuport types. The
Biplanes included Curtiss, Farman and
WrighttypesalongwithHeath'sown2B
and 6B Tractors. Prices ranged from
$800 for a Curtiss Biplane type to
$10,000 for aHeath 6-B Flying Boat.
Thecompanywasalsoabletofurnish
all the aircraft unassembled. This was
the start of kit building. "The parts are
so madethatanyonewithordinaryabil-
ity can readily put them together,
thereby gainingthegratification, and at
the same time saving money.
A Curtiss Biplane kit went for $265
and Heath 2B for $325. The motor for
the 2B cost $550. Included on the left
isalistingofthe bill ofmaterialsforthe
Heath 2B kit.
The rest of the catalog was devoted
to aircraft parts and supplies. Some of
the items and their prices: Goodyear
tubes - $3.00, tires - $9.00; Varnish -
$4.00 pergallon; Fabric- 55 cents per
yard;Bleriot Turnbuckles - 40 cents to
$1.00. They alsoprovided Spruce, Ash
and Bamboo for construction. Instru-
ments available included an air speed
indicator, a skid indicatorand an angle
of incidence indicator- avery neces-
saryinstrumentforthe beginnertopre-
vent stalling.'"
Heath was in business from 1909 till
hisdeathin 1931.Thismustholdsome
kindofrecordintheaviationkitandsup-
ply business. Untold numbers of build-
ersovertheyearsmusthavebeeninflu-
enced by Mr. Heath and hiscompany.
---
VISA
- .,?r
Qlr exproducts,inc.
259LowerMorrisvilleRd., Dept. VA
Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115
CLEAN
SHINE
PROTECT
For the 'discriminating Pilot and F.B.O.
who demand excellence in performance
products. RACE GLAZE Polish and
Sealant is EAA'schoice.
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Reduces Drag
Removes Exhaust Stains
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Resists UV Fading
CannotYellow
Unbel ievable" Gloss"
uses RACE GLAZE
to preserve and
protect the
museum' s price-
less collection of
aircraft.
EAA Price:$9.95 per bottle
EAA Case Price (12):$72.00
Above prices include shipping forContinental U.S.A.Only.
Send $9.95for each 16oz.bottle orsave an extra $3.95 perbottle and send $72.00
for each caseof 12 - 16oz.bottlesto:
EAA Wittman Airfield.Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086
Wisconsin Residents Add 5%Sales Tax
VINTAGEAIRPLANE31